How one agent doorknocked himself to a million-dollar income

17 November 2016 Tim Neary

From a zero base, one agent is now writing $1.5 million fees out of Campbelltown, NSW where the average property price is just $600,000. He attributes his phenomenal increase in earnings to one thing – doorknocking.

For the first three years of his real estate career, all First National Real Estate Macarthur’s newest director Huss Alsalemi did was doorknock.

“That is all I did ... prospect, prospect, prospect. Each and every single day, six days a week,” Mr Alsalemi told Tom Panos on Mr Panos’ Real Estate Gym video series.

“So the house and the four or five streets around it. Each and every single home, both my board and other agents. So what I am doing is looking for a reason to doorknock.”

Once the knock was answered, Mr Alsalemi started his pitch by simply saying, “G’day” and introducing himself.

“I hope you’re having a great day,” he would say, adding, “Look, I won’t take much of your time, I just wanted to let you know I have some great exciting news that we’ve just listed number three Smith Street.”

He then asked, “Would you like me to keep you updated with the result?”

Mr Alsalemi said hardly anyone declined since just about everybody wanted to know the result in their own street.

“So that gives me the excuse to go back and speak to them again,” he said.

“And hopefully get in the door to give them an appraisal on their property, put them in my database and keep working with them.”

Mr Alsalemi acknowledged that doorknocking can be daunting and he had some advice for nervous agents.

“When I first started in 2010, I feared doorknocking, absolutely hated it. And the reason for that was the rejection. That was something that was really hard for me to overcome.”

At some point, however, he managed to overcome his fears.

“The people that I am doorknocking, I don’t know them from day one. I don’t have a relationship with them so whether they are going to tell me to go off or whatever they want to say, it doesn’t matter.

“So I go in there and give it 110 per cent each and every time. If they say ‘No, not interested’, I move on to the next one. I don’t dwell on it or let it get to me.